Outworld
Definition
The open area of a formicarium, connected to the nest, where workers go out to find food and water, drop their waste and explore, just as they would forage outside their nest in nature.
An outworld is the "outside" of an ant setup. While the nest is dark, humid and private, the outworld is an open, brighter area connected to it, where the workers come out to forage, collect food and water, and leave their waste. It's also where you'll do most of your feeding and cleaning, without disturbing the queen.
An outworld can be very simple. In a
I love watching my Tetramorium caespitum workers explore the sand and rocks in their outworld. It's where you see the most action: scouts searching, trails forming and the whole colony rushing to a fresh cricket.
In practice
- Always use an escape barrier. A horizontal top panel for the oil works best, because the ants would have to climb upside down to get out.
- Close unused ports with proper stoppers, as some species can chew through cotton.
- Add a thin
substrate like washed sand if you like, but keep it easy to clean. - Place
liquid feeders and protein in the outworld, not in the nest, and remove leftovers before they go moldy.
